After failing to snatch chain, man tries to choke girl in auto

By |Posted 31-Jan-2014

The victim was travelling with two female colleagues in an auto rickshaw, when a man entered the vehicle and tried to snatch their gold chains; when he failed in the attempt, he grabbed one of the girls by her neck

Shruti Sonthalia

It was an auto rickshaw ride from hell for three women in the suburbs, when a crook tried to grab their gold chains. When he failed to do so, he grabbed one of them by the neck and throttled her hard. The crowd in the area eventually managed to subdue the attacker and handed him over to the Goregaon police.

Mangesh Magar has been arrested in the past for similar assaults on women

According to the Goregaon police officials, the incident occurred on SV Road in Goregaon (West) around 7.30 pm yesterday. The trio, who work at a private firm in Motilal Nagar, were travelling back home from work in an auto rickshaw. Suddenly, Mangesh Uttam Magar (30), entered their rickshaw and tried snatching the gold chains all three were wearing. When he did not succeed in the attempt, he grabbed the woman sitting in the middle by her neck, squeezing it hard.

The auto rickshaw driver stopped the vehicle and tried to free the girl from the man’s clutches. Her co-passengers, too, attempted to help their friend but to no avail. Soon, a crowd gathered and started beating up Magar while trying to get him to let go of the woman. They finally managed to get him away from the trio.

Two police constables, Pramod Tawde and Shivraj Sawant, saw the gathered mob and went to the spot. They arrested the accused near Satguru Hotel. The attack was so vicious that the woman was left with red marks on her neck. The man had also hurt her by boring his nails into her neck. The victim was unable to speak properly after the assault.

Magar was taken to Goregaon police station, where the constables related the whole incident to their officers. Goregaon police told MiD DAY that the accused was a repeat offender and had similar cases registered against him in the past.

CopspeakA police officer from Goregaon police station said, “The accused has a criminal background and has been arrested earlier. We are currently taking statements of the eyewitnesses and the complainant. The accused will be produced in court on Friday after preparing an FIR.”